John h



l drawing,pformin g Much-f. ,i Figure 1 is anielevation, in

v transverse section, of the` same.

" A-Myl invention.relatesrto theconstrnction cross-,tiesfor railroad-tracks; and' consists 1n tljleforination ot' drainsji'n the metall cross-ties h"stock, 1

, Heretofore sliding and jointedsectional Inepertains may make and use thesame.l

JOHN H. THOMPsOn, OF

PATENT OFFICE. I

GRAND JUNOTIONtIOWa, AssIGNoR tro HIMsnLr- 1 `AND WM. H. HAGER..

IMPROVQEMENHN.RAILWAY G'ROSST'E'S'D I' I Specification forming partofL-etter's I atent No. 207,320, dated August 20, 1878 application filed v f n Juneee, 1,878.

Pof GrandJunction`,' in the county ofGreene and State of Iowa, have invented a; new and useful Improvementv in 'Cross- Tiesfor Railroads; and `I do hereby declare the following l-to'be afull, clear, and exact description thereof, reference `'being' hadv to'thejaccompanyingpartof thisspecication, in

perspective, of devices embodying my invention'. Fig.'2 is a Elongitudinal centralv se tion,-and-. Fig. 3 is ai Like letters refer to like parts wherever they occur. Y

vbeneath and around' the wooden chairs, where-4 by dampness `and the decay Vof the wooden Ychair, are guarded against5'a1so, in ldetails of constructionv hereinafter more specifically set i met, 5 o l 'Y l'The''scarcity ot' timber in some sections ot H,the country-and the costaud diflieulty of ob- 'tainin g1' cross-ties for ,the construction of rail? y l, road-tracks have induced the inventionot' metallic-'cross-ties;4 but the'main objection to such-ties 'is theirrigidity, which leads 'to the rapid destruction of lboth 4track and rollingtallic ties havebcen devised, and also longi-V "tudinally-eorrugatedl ties, to Vpermit the track to give underthe passingl train ,'jbnt such' dca4 measurcovercome the objec- The object ofthe 'present invention is, as far aspracticable, toobtain a metallic cross-` tie havin-g lall the advantages of alwooden cross-tie. i Y; I will nowproeeedto describe my imfcntion, so that othersskilled in the'art to which it apf .[n the'draw-ing'is shown,across-tieiormed in` two parts, AA', connected at or vnear the" centerby -a bo1t,a,"or equivalent device,.so

` Aastofform-a vibrating, joint, which will allowA -thetraok to give somewhat under sudden said plate E may chair." The chair-seat b is 'made sloping and with guttersor depressions c to drain the waterfrom the'w'ooden chair, and also to permit the Vairgto circulate beneath the same,l whereby the wood will be preserved and will last for a'greater length of time.

D represents the chairl for the reception of the rail, said chair being formed of a wedgeshaped block of somehard and durable wood,` preferably arranged with the grain vend of the timber to thel rail, and should be capped by an iron o r steel plate, d, upon which the flange of 'the rail R may rest.

. indicates a slotted sliding metallic plate adapted to hold the rail on the chair, and be secured by the same bolts, i ce, whichfasten the chair D to the eross-tie.

The cross-tie A A may be formed of either cast-iron, wrought-iron, or steel, as may be found most desirable, and should be provided witli'the'longitudinal grooves t Z-upon its u1.1 der surface, so as to obtain lightness combined with strength and purchase or hold upon the The wooden chairs D and plates E may be secured tothe cross-tie A A' by the boltse, and the tie laid in the usual manner, after which-the bolts e may be loosened, the plate E slidback, the lian ge of rail R inserted and seeurediby pushing up plate E and tightening the bolt.

` The advantagesof my devices are strength, I

durability, and cheapness, the spring and action of wooden ties, and the savingl in Wear and tear of rolling-stock; also, the cheapncss with which repairs can be made, the saving in time and labor in making repairs,and the ability to utilize the broken ties or sec-tions by reeasting the same.

Having thus described my invention, what' I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patentis l- 1 7. The metallic cross-tie provided with the sloping chair-seat adapted to drain the chair,

i substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. The metallic cross-tic provided with the grooved orv guttercd and slopingchair-seat, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I, the said JOHN HI THOMPSON, have hereunto set my hand. Y v JOHN H. THOMPSON 4Witnesses:

Lewis K. Annan, S. E. MAYNARD. 

